Founder Jolita Sakmanaite Brings Passion and Creativity to Wellness Franchising
Brilliant Massage & Skin founder Jolita Sakmanaite trained to be a classical pianist, leaving her native Lithuania in 2007 for further studies in the U.S. But after her parents’ premature deaths when she was in her teens, the competitive lifestyle of a professional musician became less appealing. As a longtime fitness enthusiast, Sakmanaite’s interests shifted to health and wellness. Seeking a new career path, Sakmanaite enrolled in massage school and discovered a fit that eventually led her to wellness franchising.
Sakmanaite founded Brilliant Massage & Skin in 2017 in Burlington, Vt., and the business took off. As demand grew, she hired other massage therapists and estheticians, and focused on business studies and learning more about the wellness and self-care industry. She opened a second studio in South Burlington, and now is expanding Brilliant Massage & Skin through franchising.
“There’s so much support and education available in the franchising community that I just felt like it was the right way to grow the business,” she says. “It’s rewarding helping people and it’s also creative at the same time. All these things that I was passionate about – wellness and people and business and entrepreneurship – all came together. I find being an entrepreneur and business owner is a constantly evolving process, and it’s creative, a little bit like music.”
Growing Demand for Wellness Services
The wellness market has reached $480 billion in the U.S., growing at 5-10% a year, according to McKinsey’s latest Future of Wellness Research. Globally, the wellness market is valued at $1.8 trillion, according to the research. Consumers increasingly appreciate and seek wellness and self-care services, which include massage and skin care. In fact, of McKinsey’s U.S. survey respondents, 58% say they are prioritizing wellness more than they did the previous year.
While responding to the growing demand for a variety of wellness services from an increasing number of clients, Sakmanaite emphasizes that each client is treated as an individual, with customized services tailored for that person’s needs and goals. “We provide the highest quality therapeutic services for relaxation, pain management, injury prevention and muscle recovery. Our therapists have proficiency in couples massage, Swedish, deep tissue, hot stone, cupping, CBD oil, hot towel and shiatsu. Other services – facials, peels, foot scrubs, waxing, aromatherapy and teeth whitening, as well as skin care products – provide multiple revenue streams.”
Ideal Franchise Owners
Sakmanaite says ideal franchisee candidates are licensed massage therapists or spa and wellness professionals who are hands-on and committed to growing their businesses. “Ideally, we would want franchise owners who are passionate about wellness and have general business experience. But I don’t have a business degree; the reason we’ve been so successful is because I’m so passionate about the industry,” says Sakmanaite, who plans to be very involved and invested in the success of her franchise owners.
A new franchise owner who is a licensed massage therapist may be an owner-operator to start, but will need to hire as the business grows, she says. The greatest need is for licensed massage therapists, and those with dual licenses as estheticians are most desirable.
Sakmanaite envisions franchise expansion throughout New England, particularly in higher-population centers, then into the Mid-Atlantic and farther down the East Coast.
The Brilliant Massage & Skin Franchise Opportunity
New franchise owners receive support and training in Brilliant Massage & Skin’s proven systems and processes, as well as technology and marketing support, lead generation, new business development, site selection and lease negotiations. Continuing education for franchise owners and their team members includes a weekly Zoom call to go over any issues or questions. “We also practice sales scripts and do role play, like how to talk to a customer, how to have a better rebook rate, how to sell skin care products for estheticians,” Sakmanaite says.
“We are very innovative in utilizing technology. Clients can call and speak with a virtual receptionist, or book appointments online. All services are pre-paid online. Each therapist has an app on their phone and we have iPads as well so they know who is coming and what services the client has requested. Not having an in-person receptionist enables us to increase our profit margins and, at the same time, attract top talent because we can pay higher commissions and offer professional development such as additional courses for therapists who have been with us for a year,” Sakmanaite says.
Brilliant Massage & Skin has seen explosive demand in wellness services, and the brand has more positive online reviews than any other stand-alone spa in Vermont, Sakmanaite says. “That results from having good talent and people who love working for us. It was important for me as a founder to create that type of environment and to show employees that we really care about them and want to find ways that we can pay them better and can create greater work satisfaction.”
For more information about Brilliant Massage & Skin, visit https://jolitabrilliant.com/franchise/.
